Sunday's Reviews

It's that time again. Time for me to post a few reviews. I didn't get them all done, as I had wanted to, so I'll just post what I have and save the rest for next week!

Mystery Falls by Marilyn Phillips
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review. I received this copy as part of the blog tour being hosted by SupaGurlTours (http://www.supagurlbooks.blogspot.com).

Blurb from Goodreads:
Secrets. Lies. Deception. For the past six years, Samantha Hunt has lived with the belief that the untimely death of her parents was the result of an unfortunate accident—that by the cruel hand of fate, she had been left an orphan. But it was a lie, a terrible lie told to her by those who wanted to keep her in the dark. And the truth... when revealed, will change her life and haunt her forever.
Suddenly plagued by a series of events which find her in danger and in need of a savior, Samantha is repeatedly rescued by the mysterious and elusive Shadow—a stranger who seems to know more about her past and the tragedy which befell her family, than she does. Drawn to him despite the antagonism she feels whenever in his presence, Samantha soon discovers that Shadow is not what he appears to be. Determined to learn his true identity and why he has come to Mystery Falls, the small town in which she has spent all of her seventeen years, Samantha not only uncovers the secrets he refuses to share, but also the truth about her own past. A truth which forces her to acknowledge that things are not always as they seem, and sometimes, not even those close to you can be trusted.
Resolved to seeking justice for the unwarranted death of her parents, Samantha embarks on a journey which brings her perilously close to her own demise. Can Shadow use his angel powers to save her yet again, or this time, will he be too late

First let me say that I love this cover. So stunningly beautiful. The blue color is so amazing. And the feather, oh yes, you will understand that when you read it for sure!

The characters were really great in this book.
Samantha is a character that lacks confidence for sure. She is a bit shy. But at the same time, she questions everything. She wants to know what's what. She's persistent and a bit stubborn. She gets her answers even when no one will answer her questions.
Shadow, cloaked in a bit of mystery. He's very interesting. He's arrogant and self-centered for sure. But he is also caring. He frustrated me quite a bit during this book and I wanted to beat him over the head with a stick, I have to say. He's very swoon worthy.
Their chemistry is awesome. It's steamy and seductive and certainly pulls you and makes you want to keep reading.

The storyline is very unique. I love the mystery that surrounds it. I love all the twists and turns and no knowing what was going to happen next. It kept me interested and intrigued.

Philips writing style lends so much credit to the story. It flows and she creates a world that is captivating.

If you're looking for something that will pull you in and keep you embraced in the story, then this debut is it. Go pick it up, you won't be disappointed.

4 out of 5 stars from me.


River's Recruit by Charlotte Abel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author to read and give an honest review. This in no way influenced my review process. I am reviewing this book as part of a blog tour hosted by SupaGurlTours (http://www.supagurlbooks.blogspot.com).

Blurb from Goodreads:
Jonathan McKnight lost everything in Afghanistan. His left hand, his identical twin and his self-respect. He searches for redemption during a solo backpacking trip into the remote Sawatch Mountains of Colorado and discovers a secret tribe of shifters.
River, the beautiful young shifter that rescues Jonathan from certain death, wants to recruit him. He is equally determined to rescue her from her cult-like society — even if he has to kidnap her.

I absolutely love the cover of this book. It is totally how I pictured River in my mind. It does make me think a bit of fantasy but this book is not fantasy at all. I still love the cover!

River is an interesting character. A bit naive for sure. She's spunky and definitely confident. She is sweet and a little feisty. I love how strong she is. A great role model for young girls. But she is also a bit vulnerable and lets the reader peek at this throughout the book.
Johnathan is a broken man. He has had such tragedy in his life. He is in search of himself and what he needs to do to find that part of him that was lost when his twin brother died. He's a good man with a heart that needs to be healed.
Together their relationship is interesting given their different backgrounds. It was fun to watch them learn about each other.

The story line is very different from anything else I have ever read. There are many intense moments throughout the book that make it an interesting read. And the world building is very good. The characters are very real and it was easy to related to them.

I enjoyed Charlotte's writing. She creates a totally different shifter story.

This was a nice paranormal read.

4 out of 5 stars from me.